Momentum swings in the fourth when Texas can't score with bases loaded and A's get six in bottom of inning

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Oakland Athletics outfielder Stephen Piscotty (25) hits a single in the eighth inning of their baseball game against the Texas Rangers at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Tuesday, April 23, 2019. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group)

Oakland Athletics catcher Josh Phegley (19) and Robbie Grossman (8) celebrate with Matt Chapman (26) after scoring on a double hit by Marcus Semien in the fourth inning of their baseball game against the Texas Rangers at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Tuesday, April 23, 2019. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group)

Oakland Athletics batter Marcus Semien (10) hits a double scoring Robbie Grossman and Josh Phegley in the fourth inning of their baseball game against the Texas Rangers at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Tuesday, April 23, 2019. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group)

Oakland Athletics second baseman Chad Pinder (18) makes the late tag as Texas Rangers baserunner Nomar Mazara (30) steals second base in the first inning of their baseball game at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Tuesday, April 23, 2019. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group)

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OAKLAND — Right fielder Stephen Piscotty, looking at the clubhouse big screen Tuesday night following an 11-5 win over the Texas Rangers, saw the bases loaded and Logan Forsythe at the plate and announced to anyone who would listen: “Play of the game. Right here.”

The A’s and Rangers were tied 2-2, and Texas had loaded the bases with no out against starter Frankie Montas. Montas looked to be on the ropes before a crowd of 10,496 at the Coliseum.

Montas, however, induced a chopper to third baseman Matt Chapman, who threw to catcher Josh Phegley at the plate, who then threw a strike to Kendrys Morales at first base for a double play.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa followed with a roller to second, and Montas and the A’s had escaped without giving up a run.

In the bottom of the fourth, the A’s bats came alive for six runs on seven hits against Texas starter and loser Lance Lynn (2-2) and suddenly it was 8-2.

Ballgame.

“That was a big one, and it’s not an easy play,” Piscotty said. “It wasn’t like a one-hopper. Chappy had to read the bounce. Phegs had to make a really good turn. Then we finished it off by getting the next guy out. They’re knocking on the door, we slammed it shut, and then the offense was ready to take over.”

Three takeaways as the Athletics evened their record at 13-13 and the Rangers fell to 12-10 heading in to Wednesday’s getaway day game:

1. Montas guts it out

The box score was nothing special for Montas other than improving to 4-1. He gave up nine hits and three earned runs in 5 2/3 innings, throwing 107 pitches.

But manager Bob Melvin thinks the game is huge for Montas’ maturation as a pitcher. The right-hander opened throwing nearly 100 miles an hour but gave up four hits and two runs in the first four innings.

The bases-loaded situation came with nobody hitting the ball out of the infield, with a walk to Joey Gallo, an infield single by Hunter Pence and an error by Montas when he dropped a throw at first base on another roller.

But he kept pitching out of trouble, something that hasn’t always been in his makeup.

“In a lot of ways I think this was the best game of the year for him,” Melvin said. “When he’s rolling, it’s easy for him, but in the past he’s had a little trouble shutting it down.”

“It was huge,” Montas said. “I always trust my defense. Chapman he’s one of the best out there and when I got that ground ball I knew I was going to get out of it.”

2. Offensive surge

The struggles at the plate in the previous series’ on the homestand against Houston and Toronto seemed light years ago. The A’s tied a season high with 14 hits. Piscotty went 4-for-5 and scored three times. Matt Chapman hit an upper deck solo homer (his seventh of the season) and walked three times.

In the six-run fourth inning Ramon Laureano (2-for-4) had an RBI single and Phegley and Marcus Semien had two-run doubles. Khris Davis had a run-scoring single.

“I mean, we knew we have it in there,” Melvin said. “You’re going to go through some lulls during the season and for us it kind of stands out because we’ve been known to hit some homers and put some runs on the board. But it’s nice to break out again.”

Laureano, who also doubled home a run, makes the A’s a dangerous lineup from top to bottom when he’s hitting.

“For him, it’s just a couple of good games and he’ll be off to the races,” Melvin said. “It really lengthens our lineup when he’s down there in the eight hole and he’s got the power that he does. I think that’s one of the real strengths of our team is one through nine can do some damage.”

3. Piscotty and the Rangers

Piscotty now has a 16-game hitting streak against the Rangers, the longest against that franchise in club history. He was also 2-for-3 Monday night with a homer against Texas.

All of which comes as news to the Pleasanton native.

“I had no idea,” Piscotty said.

Melvin knows good things are in store when he sees Piscotty going the other way.

“Stephen’s been swinging a really hot bat recently, and when you see him driving the ball to right field, right center field, that means he’s really in his lane,” Melvin said.

Piscotty feels the same way.

“It’s usually a good indicator for me,” Piscotty said. “In a couple of games leading up to this I was getting some base hits to the right side and I could feel and sense it was coming. I had to be patient and trust the process.”

— Chapman had only 74 walks in 319 major league games coming in to the season, but has walked 14 games in 26 games in 2019 — including two or more in each of the last three games.

“His plate discipline right now is as good as anybody in the game,” Melvin said. “He’s on his way to a ton of walks . . . he won’t go out of the zone. He knows where his strengths are and it seemed like he hadn’t made an out in awhile. He finally popped one up after a homer and three walks.”

— Semien’s two-run double in the fourth improved his batting average to .538 (7-for-13) with runners in scoring position.

— Yusmeiro Petit had 1 2/3 scoreless innings of relief taking over for Montas, while Ryan Dull was touched for five hits and two earned runs in his two innings of work.

— The A’s close out the series Wednesday with right-hander Aaron Brooks (2-2, 5.32) opposing the Rangers’ Kyle Dowdy, who is making his first major league start after four appearances in relief.